Spined Soldier Bug vs Japanese Giant Water Bug
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Spined Soldier Bug | Japanese Giant Water Bug |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Podisus maculiventris | Lethocerus deyrolli |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Pentatomidae | Belostomatidae |
| Size | 10-13 mm | 48-65 mm |
| Habitat | Gardens | Ponds & Lakes |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | Throughout North America | East Asia, Japan |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
Spined Soldier Bug
A beneficial predatory stink bug with prominent shoulder spines and a mottled brown body. It feeds on pest caterpillars and beetle larvae in gardens and agricultural fields.
Did You Know?
It is commercially reared and sold as a biological control agent for managing pest caterpillars in agriculture.
Japanese Giant Water Bug
Known as 'ta-garame' in Japanese, this is one of Japan's largest aquatic insects. A fearsome ambush predator that can catch small fish and frogs. Has declined dramatically due to habitat loss.
Did You Know?
Males of this species guard the eggs, which the female glues to emergent vegetation above water, by periodically climbing up to moisten them.